Happy 22nd
by MusicalTB2
Summary: Virgil's 22nd birthday, it's August 15th. What more could you want? I owned Virgil today :)


Virgil walked into the dark lounge and raised an eyebrow as he looked around, suddenly a light was cast into the room and from the piano, the eldest spread a broken arpeggio up the instrument and the rest of the family emerged from various places in the lounge.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to Virgil...happy birthday to you...!" They all sang and Scott brought the song to an end flicking the last note delicately with a smile as Virgil stood by the table grinning.

"Makes up for last year right?" Scott smirked as he pushed the stool out and stood up.

"Certainly does, did you leave me some cake this time?"

Gordon skipped over to the large box on the table and lifted the lid off, "here you go bro, chocolate frosting."

"Grandma?"

"No, this one is from Paris. My favourite bakery," Grandma smiled as she walked down into the ring to join Gordon, "who wants a slice?"

Virgil licked his lips, "me, please."

Kayo laughed, "don't forget your presents, Virgil, you've got one from each of us."

"Aww thanks guys."

Grandma handed him a plate, "here you go, happy birthday son."

Virgil smiled, "thank you. And thanks for remembering it this year, at least I got back from the rescue in time."

John turned on some music and sat down by the bookshelf to talk to EOS who was connected to his wrist communicator, "anything EOS?"

"Nothing John, wish a happy birthday to your brother from me. Don't stay down there too long, I miss you."

John smiled, "relax EOS, I won't leave you."

Virgil dismissed himself for a moment, and went down to his room, he opened the door and put his cards down on his desk, as he laid them out, he spotted a card from his dad dated 2058, he picked it up and read, "D _ear Virgil, I'm sorry I won't be here for your twentieth birthday, but I'll be back in September I promise. I'll make it up to you. Have a great birthday son. Dad_ ," Virgil sighed, "you've missed my twenty second now dad, where are you?"

Scott knocked on his door gently, "hey Virgil? You're missing your own birthday party."

"I'll be back in a minute."

"Are you alright?"

"Not really."

Scott walked in and over to the young man, "dad's not gone for good bro, I promise you that."

"He's been gone for two years now Scott. Give it up, he's not coming back," Virgil closed his eyes sorrowfully.

Scott laid a hand on the artist's shoulder, "he will come back. You have to believe that."

Virgil's frame shook slightly and he turned his face into Scott's chest, "no. He's gone."

Scott held Virgil tightly allowing tears to dissolve into his shirt, he kissed the top of Virgil's head, "come and open your presents, take your mind off the letter."

Virgil nodded and pulled back from the embrace, "alright. Thanks for staying up this time."

"We would've done if you hadn't taken so long last year, we were all ready," Scott chuckled.

"You still ate my cake," Virgil grumbled.

"That was Grandma's fault, she cut a slice and Alan followed. Then the rest of us, Brains had some too."

"At least Max brought me a cupcake."

"There you go then. Come on," Scott pushed him out of his room after brushing the tears away.

Virgil pushed his raven hair back up into a spike and followed Scott back into the lounge, "sorry guys, I went to take my cards to my room."

Alan picked up a present, "here Virg, open mine first."

Virgil sat down on the sofa and pulled the ribbon off the box, he opened it and smiled, "wow Ali, these colours are amazing."

"I had a bit of help finding them, but they are kinda magical. The colour changes when it dries so be careful what you paint."

Virgil smiled, "I'll paint Thunderbird 3 then."

"You won't lay a finger on her, you'll die first," Alan glared then winked.

Kayo hopped over the back of the sofa with a small box, "ta da!"

Virgil pulled the lid off and smiled, "Aww thanks Kayo," he took out the locket, "but how do I open it?"

Kayo tutted and leant over his shoulder, "you see this bit?" she guided his fingers over the music book, "the hinge is here, slide up."

"Like that? Oh, I've got it."

"There you go, look closely."

Virgil smiled as he spotted the photo was a family portrait, very miniaturised and in a tight hug, "thanks Kayo," he kissed her cheek and she giggled.

Gordon jumped in between them with a present and Virgil hit him, "do you want this or not bro?"

Kayo rolled her eyes and went to sit next to Scott, "that boy never slows down."

"He gets it from Alan."

"So, you might hate my present as it's a do it yourself kind of thing, but I gathered since you love cookies so much..."

"Cookie shapers?" Virgil raised a perfect eyebrow again, "Gordon, you shouldn't have."

"What? I got them specially made for you, scroll through that pack and you'll find your new favourite," Gordon grinned from ear to ear.

Virgil picked out a green one and coughed back a laugh, "Thunderbird 2, what did you say to get the maker to design this?"

"I said I have this little brother who adores the Thunderbirds and his favourite is Thunderbird 2."

Alan burst out laughing and even Kayo had to bite down on her lip, "a little brother! Gordon, that's genius!"

Virgil frowned, "I should pay him a visit so he sees how little I am."

"It was the only way. If I said it was a twenty-two year old, I might not have been so lucky in getting it," Gordon shrugged, "happy birthday co."

Virgil put the moulds down and pulled Gordon into a headlock messing up the golden locks, "thanks, squid."

Scott rolled his eyes, "alright, let him go big V."

Virgil released Gordon with a laugh, "am I easy to buy for?"

John shook his head as he got off the lounger by the pool table, "not really no, I got this for you simply because it was something I thought you'd like."

"You sound worried John, I'll like whatever I'm given."

John handed him a flat box, "just see."

Virgil opened the present with a smile, "new manuscript paper, thank you John. I'm being honest."

"Just hope it's useful. I got it personalised for you."

Virgil opened the first page which had his name written across it in black ink full of swirls and musical terminology, "this is great John, thank you," he stood up and took it over to the piano, "I'll start writing in it later."

Scott smiled, "saving the best till last then?"

"No, I have Brains' and Grandma's to come," Virgil smiled sweetly back at him, "so let's do yours now."

Scott stood up and picked up the large box with a red bow stuck on top, "well this is the biggest."

Virgil knelt down and ripped the bow off gently before sliding his finger under the tape to tear the paper off in one, "no, way."

"Yes way."

Virgil revealed a red chair cover, "is this for Thunderbird 2?"

"Yep. Thought you could use a new one, and there's something small in there too."

Virgil reached into the paper and brought out a set of keys with a piano charm on it, "keys?"

"I'm passing down my Mercedes to you," Scott smiled.

Virgil sat back against the sofa arm in shock, "but she was your second baby bro."

"Well I want you to have her, I've got a Porsche on the mainland."

Gordon rolled his eyes, "anyone would think we're playboys or something."

Grandma cuffed him around the head, "no-one would think that Cooper."

"Oww Grandma!"

Scott cleared his throat, "to continue. Just look after her Virgil, she's parked in the hanger."

Virgil grinned as he twirled the keys in his hand, "I've always wanted your car."

"And now you have her."

Brains handed him a small box, "this is also for the car, it's a new stereo with your music on it. Scott helped."

"Thanks, Brains," Virgil smirked, "I wouldn't have wanted Scott's choice."

"Mine's better, just saying," Scott shrugged.

Grandma walked over to him, "here Virgil, something fun."

Virgil stood up and took the box from her, he opened it and some money fell out as well as a soft jumper, "Grandma, it's never cold here."

"You never know, I always take precautions."

Virgil laughed, "thanks, Grandma. Thank you guys, this has been a great birthday."

Gordon leapt up, "now let's party!" He turned the music up and began to dance, by himself.

Alan smiled, "boy, I wish Penny was here to see this."

Kayo smirked, "you call that dancing? Scott, get up," she extended her hand to his and he took it happily.

Virgil leapt up onto the back of the ring with his guitar propping his feet up on the sofa, and began to play a tango throwing Gordon completely off his rhythm, "that's better."

John turned the pop music off and watched Kayo with Scott, "wow."

Gordon sulked, "my dancing was more appropriate for a party."

Virgil looked up from his fingers on the guitar, and watched Scott tip Kayo back across his thigh momentarily, "how low can you go bro?"

"This is Spanish Mon Amigo," Scott smirked as he looked at Virgil across from him.

Kayo plucked a rose out of a vase and stuck it between her teeth, "uh huh."

Scott twirled her round to the fast tango beat until they ended up head to head, and he pecked her on the lips stealing the rose from her teeth before tossing it aside, "hecho."

"You speak Spanish?" Kayo asked as she gazed into his eyes.

"Not very well."

Virgil piped in, "by that he means none at all," he put the guitar down and hopped off the sofa to help himself to party snacks.

"At least I can make out a language, unlike the rest of you."

Alan nodded, "you've got us there, I'll admit."

Scott smirked, "one up to me."

John turned the music back on and walked down to join Virgil in getting food, "enjoying your birthday Virg?"

"Absolutely. Better than last year's for sure. There's cake, you guys and music. What more could I want?"

John paused and looked down, "dad."

"Yeah. You saw me leave then?"

"I did. It's alright Virgil, you can be upset. Hey, in lighter news maybe, you're older than me again by two years."

"I always am."

Scott chuckled, "feeling old yet?"

"Of course I am twenty-four year old," Virgil ruffled Scott's hair to his protest.

"Argh get off, you'll ruin the gel."

"Cry baby."

Alan giggled, "planning on getting wasted tonight?"

Virgil gasped dramatically, "a member of International Rescue drunk? The horror! No, in all seriousness I can't afford too, I've been called out once today, it could happen again."

Scott opened a beer, "you can afford one."

Virgil smiled, "you know me too well."

The night quietened down slightly and the family went off to their own entertainment, Virgil sat at the piano with a pencil composing with the led tool tucked above his ear, John was playing pool with Alan whilst Gordon helped in teaching the two how to make good pockets. Grandma had begun cleaning up and Brains had gone down to the hanger to sort out Virgil's new car, Scott sat with Kayo watching Virgil play the piano and digesting the cake from earlier, Scott's hand behind Kayo's back hidden from the others. Virgil sat at the piano writing with a smile on his face, it had definitely been a better birthday than the one he had been through the year before, he had everyone he loved and some amazing gifts, he couldn't think of a better way of turning twenty-two.


End file.
